It is well known to attach ballast weights to the front or rear of agricultural and/or earth-working vehicles so as to provide better traction and steering capabilities. On most tractors, there is a base weight which is fixed to the frame and means for adding additional weights to achieve the correct ballasting. For most agricultural tractors, it is necessary for the operator to attach and remove additional weights from time to time depending upon the desired operation of his tractor. The weights are both heavy and cumbersome and present a problem in being assembled. One solution to the problem is mentioned in U.S. Pat. No. 3,595,410, issued to N. Lemmon, in 1971 wherein a cylinder is used to raise and lower the weight relative to the tractor frame. However, there is still a problem in that sometimes the operator is unable to detach the weights from the vehicle before the vehicle is driven at an increased speed on a public highway. During such travel, it is common for the vehicle to experience serious pitching, excessive dynamic loading and bad steering due to the resonant oscillation of the ballast weights. Therefore, there is a desire in the industry to provide a mechanism which will enable the ballast weights to be raised and lowered relative to the frame of the vehicle as well as to be coupled in such a manner as to reduce the resonant oscillation of the tractor when driven over a hard surface.
Now a vehicle-mounted apparatus has been invented which will accomplish both objectives.